"so that you may have great endurance & patience"

pleasant words are a honeycomb...

2009-01-12T10:59:00.002-05:00

i read this verse from Proverbs in a daily email i received for today. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

i think about how often my words are not pleasant by any means...they are hurtful, and worst sometimes pre-meditated to cause harm. they often "assume the worst" of dear loved ones, or are unnecessarily aggressive, shouted out in anger. its terrible. my words are often used to complain and express my discontent or dissatisfaction with life. my words are not only hurting others, but they are hurting to God, and they are definitely hurting me.

a few months ago, a friend of mine shared some verses from her daily devotional. i was distracted at the time with my daughter, but got to check them out at a later date. i was so encouraged by them, and definitely challenged to work on my words.

All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverted in them. Proverbs 8:8

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

note the keywords in these verses..."always" "all" "nothing" "no" "only". no exceptions! is this even possible!!?? "All things are possible with God." Mark 10:27

Welcome Hannah Lynn!!!

2008-06-27T01:05:00.003-04:00

our baby girl, Hannah Lynn Doyle is here!!!! it's already been 5 weeks since her birth!!!! time flies when you're having fun! and we're having a blast! :) here's one of hannah's first photos taken in the hospital.

hannah was born at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida on Wednesday, May 21st at 1:43am. she weighed 7lbs 15oz and measured 21 inches long! she's our beautiful angel...our pride and joy!

here's a link to see pictures of her first week! hopefully i'll post some recent ones soon! i'm also seriously thinking about making a blog especially for her.

anyway thanks for looking! we are completely in LOVE with our baby!!!! she is so sweet and perfect and adorable in every way!

other special may events

2008-05-16T13:08:00.004-04:00

of course we all know mother's day was last sunday, may 11. i'm not technically a mother yet but i still received a few cards and happy wishes. brian & wendy sent me a "mother-to-be" card, lindsay got me a mother's day card and a package of fun size snickers (yum!) and one of our neighbors on the street brought me a mother's day card as well! the roses in the vase came from our backyard...so pretty! and the bowl contained the snickers (but not for long!).

adam made me cupcakes. i'm not a big fan of frosting so he left them unfrosted for me :) i took a picture of them but they aren't very pretty (since there was no frosting)....they tasted amazing though! he also let me buy a vera bradley bag to use as the baby/diaper bag!!! we went to the mall on mother's day to pick it up. :) these bags are so expensive but fortunately we had some gift money to help us out. we had been searching for a bag for months and it was very stressful because we couldn't settle on anything! it's so nice to have a bag now! and it's all packed and ready for the hospital! :)

another special day in may was monday, the 12th. adam and i were married two years ago! we went on a nice dinner date to Chutnees in gainesville..."fusion of flavors from india". this equals very yummy food! we love going out for indian cuisine. our favorite restaurant is in the process of moving to a new location and it's taking forever! but it was fun to try out some place new. the food was just as delicious! we seriously just need to learn how to make our own indian dishes!

we had a wonderful anniversary though, reminiscing on the past two years of marriage and also the past 7.5 years we've been in love. :) we still have so much to learn, especially as we add "parenthood" to the mix but we are so excited and feel blessed to have one another and the Lord to see us through it all. i love adam. he's a wonderful hubby and is going to make a terrific papa.

the waiting game

2008-05-16T12:00:00.005-04:00

well it's may now....where has the time GONE!? adam and i are so excited! we can't get this baby girl off our minds. we can't wait to meet her! the due date is TOMORROW (may 17)!!!! it's hard to believe we're already here! and i could go into labor at any time!!!

baby update: we had another ultrasound at 36 weeks 6 days, back on 4/25 to check baby's position, since she had been laying transverse for a few weeks. and we found out she had finally assumed the vertex position!!!! so praise the Lord! i remember praying the night before our appointment as i felt our baby girl move around. i had never felt her move like that before! it was incredible! so that was a huge relief and answer to prayer! God is so good and so is his timing. :) here is a profile shot of our baby from our ultrasound. she's getting big! and notice how she's pursing her lips! so cute!

we had our 39 week appointment this morning and nothing too new to report. we scheduled another checkup for next friday (if our baby girl hasn't arrived by then). i have no idea whether i'm dilated or effaced at all. i decided not to find out...less anxiety this way. i figure i'd either be disappointed with the progress and start worrying about induction or too excited and more impatient. she'll come when God says so. and his timing is good and perfect! so we're trying to be as patient as possible! i've been praying for months that she will come after may 12 and before or on her due date. this weekend would be great! :)

baby room has come a long way these last couple weeks. my mom came up and made window treatments, closet draperies and a crib dust ruffle using fabrics we had chosen for her quilt (that lindsay made). these items add so much to the room!!! now we just need to put something on the walls. we also got a floor lamp, a night stand and some plastic storage. all baby's clothes and linens are washed and organized and put away. the portable playard (pack n play) is set up in our bedroom, all ready for baby girl! hopefully i'll get around to posting some pictures of everything.

well it's been a waiting game for 3 weeks now (baby is considered full-term at 37 weeks). i didn't expect her to come 3 weeks early or even 2 weeks early. but this last week has been the hardest wait yet! we've been slightly anxious since realizing she could come at any time! i started feeling some menstrual-cramp type pains last saturday. they come and go and they really aren't that painful. i have no idea if they are Braxton Hicks or something else. it definitely feels like stuff is happening though and that my body is preparing for labor. it's been hard to do anything these days...moving around is getting even tougher and i'm starting to feel a lot more aches and pains everywhere. i really have enjoyed pregnancy but i'm just too excited to meet our baby! :)

one month to go!

2008-04-17T16:39:00.007-04:00

we're only a few weeks away from meeting our baby girl!!!! how exciting!!! it's been a fun ride and i will definitely miss being pregnant but i cannot wait to hold and love and care for the new addition to our family! i am so excited to be a mama!!! :)

the baby room is coming along: the room is painted, the new window blinds are installed, the crib, changing table, and the glider are all set up. i'd like to put some decorations up. and we still need a lamp for the room. but progress is being made each week!!!! :)

still on the "to do" list:
-wash baby clothes, linens, covers
-call the pediatrician
-pack bags for the hospital
-organize everything!
-clean house!!
-finish shopping (still need a diaper bag and nursing bra)
-cook and freeze a bunch of meals for after baby comes
-make a call list
-get last-minute advice from BTDT moms (been there done that)
-update pregnancy journal (i've been so bad about this)
-get a pedicure!!!
-lots of other things i cannot remember...lol

my 36 week appointment is april 25. then it's weekly appointments til the end! i still have to get the group b strep test, and i think they'll start internal exams at this next visit or the one after. we found out at an ultrasound during our 34 week visit that our baby is laying in the transverse presentation (sideways in the uterus). her head is on my right side, her bum is on the left side, and her feet are toward my cervix. we think she's been in this position since 30 or 32 weeks. the midwives seem optimistic that she has time and room to move so we'll see! i'm praying she moves head down in time for a natural delivery! i'm trying my best to trust the Lord with this situation cause He's the one in control. :) adam is optimistic which is definitely a big encouragement! babies can flip around at any time, even at the last minute! so we'll keep you posted. i'm hoping she turns SOON!!!!

other stuff: childbirth class this past week...we were given a tour of the labor & delivery floor at north florida regional women's center. it was so fun to see all the rooms and "familiarize" ourselves where everything is located. :) we'll be there really soon!! we have two more childbirth classes, then a breastfeeding and newborn care class after that.

baby shower #2!!!!

2008-04-15T08:02:00.011-04:00

my lovely sister lindsay hosted baby shower #2 at our house in gainesville on saturday, april 12! we had close to 40 friends attend, most of them from our church here. but we had several out-of-towners and a few repeats from the first shower! there was lots of food, a few games, delicious cookie cake, and tons of fun! adam and i thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and feel so blessed to have so many friends! thanks to everyone!!

yay for food!

cookie cake :) my name was spelled wrong and i didn't even notice til i saw this picture later. lol

baby shower game

baby pool...when will our little one get here?

beautifully wrapped presents

me and my sister. i love her so much!!

everyone's packed in

haha...isn't that cute?

i can't get this picture to rotate....but this is my lovely friend kim and my newest friend madelyn born on march 11. she's one month old!

me and my bff kimberly!

some more expecting mothers!!! heather in october, andrea in july and lauren in august!
yay for more first-time-mommies-to-be!

dirty diapers...what did baby eat? lol. so gross

gifts to our little one

some of our favorite college students!

this is a manly shower!

yay for lindsay's "dream team"! you did it!
seriously, i am so thankful for all your help!!!
(can you believe my profile in this pic!? holy cow...honestly, holy COW!)

baby shower #1!!!!

2008-04-14T09:49:00.010-04:00

my wonderful mom threw me a baby shower in palm harbor on saturday, april 5. she made a beautiful cake and some yummy treats. some of her friends, my friends, and some of adam's family members attended! here are some pictures from the day!

isn't this an amazing cake!? it was so delicious too!!!

my sister-in-law wendy and niece madison made the trip down from south carolina!

me and my beautiful sister Lindsay!

shower game: who can guess how big my belly is....my mom was WAY off!!!

presents! i'm showing off these adorable foot rattles! they are too cute!

some wonderful guests

here's me stuffing my face while everyone stares at me..lol!

more guests...my mom-in-law (far left) and two of adam's cousins (to the right)

i am so excited to be a mom!

last but not least...my mom's dog charlie confined to the loft wishing he could join everyone. at least he got watch from bird's eye view.

new life under construction

2008-01-30T13:43:00.000-05:00

ever since seeing our baby girl on the ultrasound, the Lord has reminded me over and over of what an Awesome Creator He is. the day after the ultrasound, adam and i went on a solitude retreat with other leaders and church staff members at a state park not too far away. we spent hours in nature, alone with God in an effort to hear his voice, listen to his words and praise Him for his works.

i love nature. i love the outdoors. i love seeing God's creation. i love trees, mountains, oceans, beaches, and especially sunsets. i feel so close to Him when i get outside and see His beauty. but lately, all these things don't even begin to compare to this new life he is constructing inside me. humans are his most prized creations! he spends a great deal on each of us...especially in the beginning, forming our bodies, and molding our personalities.

on the solitude retreat, i read the chapter titled "content to be me" in Calm My Anxious Heart. linda dillow shares a prayer she prayed for her yet-to-be-born granddaughter based on psalm 139. it spoke directly to me and i prayed along with it for my little one growing inside me:

"O God, I praise You that You are intimately acquainted with all her ways. I thank You that You have gone before her and followed her and that You placed Your hand of blessing on her head. This knowledge overwhelms me with gratitude. I thank You.

Right now, You, the Master Weaver, are forming her personality and emotional makeup, weaving them together in my daughter's womb. Wonderful are Your works!

You know all about my granddaughter. You are knitting together her body, soul, and spirit. As a crafter creates intricate embroidery stitches, You are superintending every detail of her beautiful design.

You have prerecorded all the days set before her on this earth. Already You are preparing her portion and her cup.

O God, You are great! I praise you! You have created who she is to be but also what she is to do. You have created her to fulfill a unique plan ordained especially for her. Truly my grandchild is fearfully and wonderfully made. I praise You for Your awesome work. "

i have nothing to worry about since God is creating my little one. he knows all her days and he is fearfully and wonderfully making her! and this goes for all of us...he has created each of us and truly knows us. how awesome!!!

calm my anxious heart

2008-01-27T15:53:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite christmas gifts i received this year is a book called Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. i have heard of this book for some time but never had the opportunity to read it. i started it just days after christmas during some down time we had at the faithwalkers conference.

during the first few pages, linda mentions a "prescription for contentment" that a godly woman who served God in africa tried to follow:

-never allow yourself to complain about anything--not even the weather.
-never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
-never compare your lot with another's
-never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise
-never dwell on tomorrow--remember that [tomorrow] is God's, not ours.

how hard it is for women to follow these things...we complain about so much, especially the weather. we picture ourselves in a different place in life almost every day! we're always comparing ourselves to others and what we have and what we don't have. it's so sad!!

i've been meditating on these ever since that afternoon i first read them. it has really helped me with my thought life. i've shared this with many of the girls around me too in hope that it would also challenge them in their thought life. it is so important to be content and not to worry

i'm so glad linda dillow wrote this book. and i hope to share more of what i've gotten out of it so far. and i recommend it to every woman.

It's A GIRL!!!

2008-01-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

our BIG ultrasound on january 4th went extremely well! it was SOOOO exciting! we're expecting a little baby girl! and she is so beautiful. the sonographer took all her measurements, checked her 4-chamber heart and her brain. it was so cool seeing her and watching her move around. and so incredible seeing her arms, legs, fingers, hands and feet! we even saw the lens in her eye! we could also see her spine, ribcage, stomach and her little heart beating. :) i could feel her moving around...she seems to be so active in there! and how wonderful it is to be able to say "she" and "her" instead of "it"! adam is so thrilled too :) he was sitting in a chair at the end of my bed, squeezing my ankle while we were looking up at the monitor. "that's our little one!!!" he seemed to be saying to me. he is so happy. he's going to be such an incredible father.

it was about 5 minutes before the sonographer announced we are having a girl. it was so exciting to find out!!! the lady was trying to get a good shot of in between her legs to show she's a girl but our baby kept her feet together like a modest one! :) she's already so adorable to me! the lady did have a hard time checking our baby's tailbone area to see the bottom of her spine. she had to shake my belly a few times in an effort to get the baby to move! i wonder if she'll be stubborn like her mommy! lol. we were given a dvd of part of the ultrasound as well as a few printed pictures to take with us. you can see the video at our website www.adamandmeredith.com.

it was such a joyful day! my sister lindsay got to come with us. we originally wanted her to take a video showing our initial reaction to seeing our baby on the ultrasound for the first time but the room was dark and the sonographer said we weren't allowed to film anything. i'm so glad she got to come anyway. she's going to be a great aunt to our little one. :)

i had my regular checkup with the midwife following the ultrasound. i was so excited that my blood pressure had risen to 126/86! they had me lay down on my left side to see if it would drop and it did right away. everything is looking great though and our baby's measurements are right on schedule. we couldn't be more excited and more thankful for this gift from God. this whole pregnancy and keeping track of the development just blows my mind! God is so cool! :)

i've got more posts coming soon...there's so much to say!

halfway there

2008-01-03T19:52:00.000-05:00

pregnancy is so cool. especially this part of it. they say you're able to feel your baby move for the first time anywhere from 16-20 weeks along (closer to 20 weeks for first-time moms). so beginning around 15 weeks, i would sit or lie down really still in an effort to see if i could feel anything. and from time to time, i would feel twinges but nothing like they describe in the books (fluttering or gas bubbles) so i was never certain if it was actually our baby moving. but on christmas eve, while sitting outside around the fire with my family and some hot chocolate, i felt about 5 "kicks" in a row and i knew right away it was Baby. :) i was 19 weeks along then and i have felt Baby move everyday since. the kicks were so frequent yesterday while i was driving, they made me laugh out loud. feeling our baby move around inside is so incredible...there are no words to describe it. but it brings me so much joy. the bond between mother and child is forming and we only have 20 more weeks til we meet face to face!!! i am SO EXCITED!!!

and tomorrow is our scheduled ultrasound!!! lindsay is coming along with adam and me to our appointment. she'll be videotaping our reactions to seeing our baby on the screen. this is our very first ultrasound and probably the only one we'll have, assuming everything looks good and they get all the measurements they need. and as long as the baby cooperates, we'll be able to find out if our baby is a boy or girl!!!!! i'll be back later to post the results!

it's 2008!!!

2008-01-02T13:44:00.000-05:00

so it's the new year! hope you all have a happy one. it's gonna be a pretty big year for adam and me. i can't believe all that is about to change. here's a brief look at what is to come:

1/4-our baby's first ultrasound! hopefully we find out if we're having a boy or girl :)
1/9-adam turns 24! happy birthday!

5/12-adam and i celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary!
5/17-our estimated delivery date!

7/?-jason, joy, ethan & laurel move to russia!

10/8-my 25th birthday...1/4 of a century! eek!

so of course, the most exciting thing is that we're having our baby this year...i'm so stoked!!! and getting quite nervous!!!! i am 20 weeks pregnant now...that means i'm halfway there!!! only 20 weeks to go! and our long-awaited ultrasound is in TWO days!!!!!!!

what a happy new year it will be!!! :)

the sweetest sound

2007-11-10T22:39:00.001-05:00

yesterday marks one of the best days of our lives...the day we got to hear our little one's heartbeat for the first time! it relieved all my worries and reassured me our baby is doing great. i am now 13 weeks pregnant, moving into the second trimester! woohoo!!! the next few months will fly by as the holidays come and go. we will be spending many weekends out of town and during the first week or two of the new year is when we find out if our first child will be a son or a daughter! exciting stuff!!!

other pregnancy news: i am not really showing yet but my abdomen is starting to expand. i am having quite a bit of pain here and there in my tail bone region but my midwife says it's due to hormones and the loosening of all the ligaments connected to my uterus. she says it's normal and nothing to be worried about. i am feeling a lot more energized now and my appetite has almost completely returned. i think the nausea/morning sickness is over so hallelujah for that! (october wasn't such a fun month!) i know adam is singing praises too!

adam and i are still keeping extremely busy. yesterday was our 2nd prenatal appointment. then we went camping for the night at anastasia park in st. augustine, fl for our fall homegroup retreat. it was a cold night but we had so much fun! there were eleven of us total. we ate dinner together, enjoyed a campfire and s'mores. then we walked from our campsite to the beach, where we sang some worship, caught a few shooting stars, played the big booty game, the human knot, did the hokey pokey and we shook it all about....yeah. it was a blast. we also shared one big tent (i slept on an air mattress!) unfortunately, adam didn't sleep too well...he's zonked out right now on the corda-roy.

after camping in st. augustine, adam and i left our friends and drove up to orange park (near jax) for our good friend sarah's wedding. we got dressed for the wedding at the wedding location and my hair smelled like campfire. haha! it was a small but beautiful wedding and sarah looked gorgeous. one of these days i'll get better at posting pictures and updating our picasa photo albums. hopefully that day will be soon! once we left the wedding, we met up with another good friend melissa who lives there in o.p. and it was awesome to see her again.

we got home tonight about 20 minutes before the gator game and have been watching it since. yay we're winning! we are exhausted though. adam gets a holiday on monday to observe veterans day so we're glad to have a long weekend together. next weekend, we are off to visit mom and dad doyle down south and then we're traveling to toccoa, georgia to spend thanksgiving with the jordans and the champions (joy's family). i'm so excited for the holidays. adam and i were listening to christmas music in the car ride home tonight. it makes me smile! :)

major life changes

2007-10-15T15:11:00.000-04:00

here's an update on the last few months of the doyle life:

-july 27, 2007: was my last day with scarborough company insurance to become a housewife. this was decided by both adam and me so that i can pour more time into serving and encouraging him in his job as well as spend more time with the girls in our homegroup.

-august 1, 2007: we moved out of campus housing and into the "FLU" house along with my lovely sister lindsay. now we pay rent to adam's parents and we host our weekly homegroup meeting. the house has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a lot of space! we are still in the process of painting and unpacking.

-uf's fall semester began at the end of august and we welcomed back the rest of our homegroup members! we also welcomed new uf students during gcl's annual fall kickoff events. adam and i are serving as homegroup coaches to our homegroup FLU (which stands for faith, love, unity)

-during gcl's kickoff week, i developed a serious cold that lasted about 3 weeks...yuck!

-september 6, 2007: the day that has changed our lives forever....after receiving antibiotics and a nasal decongestant from the doctor's office a few days prior and suspicious thoughts that i wanted to clear up in my head, i took a home pregnancy test with adam by my side. the box said the results would show in 3 minutes, however, only 45 seconds went by and adam saw it first...the word "pregnant" popped up on the screen and he grabbed my attention with an excited "meredith! look!"

our lives are now focused around this new creation developing inside me, a gift from God in His timing. it was/is/has been a wonderful surprise. i have been freaked out at times, anxious, worried, but i've never been more excited in my life! you become instantly attached the moment you find out such incredible news. having close friends and family suffer from miscarriages over the past year has worried me that i could suffer this type of loss too, however, God calms me and reminds me that He is King and is in control and i need to trust. miscarriages are very common and usually occur during the first trimester (first 12-14 weeks). i am currently 9 weeks and 2 days (in my 10th week) and have seen the midwife only once. my next appointment is in about 3.5 weeks and we'll get to hear our baby's heartbeat! our first ultrasound will be around christmas time, showing us if we're expecting a boy or girl! i can't wait for these appointments to get here! but before we know it, we'll be cuddling with the newest addition to the doyle/jordan family. our baby's estimated due date is may 17, 2008.

a 2nd niece for the summer!!!

2007-07-26T12:33:00.000-04:00

our 2nd niece for the summer, Madison Olivia Doyle, was born at summerville medical center in charleston, south carolina last night at 7:04, weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and measuring 20 inches long!! she has beautiful dark hair!

congratulations to adam's brother and sister-in-law, brian and wendy, and their first child! Madison is also the first grandchild for adam's parents and the second niece for adam and me.

we hope to visit brian, wendy and madison next weekend and we'll take tons of photos if we do. you can also check out madison's website at http://www.babysites.com/sites/wendytdoyle/

a baby is born!!!

2007-06-08T09:27:00.000-04:00

sweet baby girl, Laurel Faith Jordan, was born at stephens county hospital in toccoa, georgia this morning at 8:11, weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces and measuring 20 inches long!!! what a beauty! congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law, jason & joy, and their baby girl! Laurel is my parents first granddaughter, the first niece for lindsay, adam & me, and ethan's little sister.

this picture was taken from lindsay's cell phone within minutes of her birth! can't wait to share more pictures and stories! hopefully i will get to see her next weekend if we go up to georgia.

please pray for joy's recovery and baby laurel to eat well and grow, grow, grow!

harry potter

2007-06-04T13:57:00.000-04:00

what an exciting year to become a harry potter fan! the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be in bookstores on july 21st; the fifth movie will be in theaters on july 11th; and universal studios is building a harry potter theme park!!!

i remember when the first book came out and people were going crazy. churches all around were banning the books. people, especially children started to idolize him. i didn't really care whatsoever...books and story characters that became as famous as harry potter did, seemed a bit looney to me. and i thought harry potter was so nerdy.

during my aol chat room days, when i was incredibly bored, i used to go into this harry potter designated chat room where i guess nerds and dorks would gather to chat about the latest book or something. i thought it was hysterical how famous harry potter became. he was ugly and nerdy. (and i was shallow and dumb) i said really immature things in that chat room like "harry potter is so hot" and "i want to marry harry potter". of course i was just mocking the obsessed people in the chat room and all over the world. i was acting really obnoxious....definitely not a "good" use of time. but sadly i found it amusing anyway.

then in my 12th grade english class, one of my classmates read a harry potter book (i think it was the first one) for some project we had to do. i tried making fun of him for it, but he said he couldn't put the book down, that it was really good! i thought, wow, even this guy likes it. but i still didn't have a desire to get into it.

one day during my first summer at college, i caught most of the first harry potter movie. it was showing on channel 5, our campus movie channel for everyone in the dorms. this is when i realized that harry potter was actually "cool" and i completely changed my mind about it being dorky. i really enjoyed the movie, or what i saw of it. the whole idea seemed fun. when the second movie came out, i decided i would read the books before i watched it. but i didn't have time to read harry potter, not with all my college courses.

during my third year of college, i roomed with melissa, katie, and brittany and all 3 of them had read all of the harry potter books! and they all love the books, especially melissa. i couldn't believe how many people around me had read them all. i don't remember any of my friends from high school or people there enjoying the books. but i started feeling like i was missing out on something, so i ordered the first 3 books. they sat on my bookshelf for almost 2 years. then one day, something magical happened...haha. ;) adam and i decided to start reading them. and about 9-10 months later, here i am waiting for the 7th book to come out and the 5th movie and super excited about the harry potter theme park.

it's still a bit looney but now i'm glad to be a part of it. adam and i have thoroughly enjoyed each book. i would read aloud as adam listened. often, adam would say "keep reading!" even when i'd stop for a second to take a sip of water and catch my breath. we'd read at night before bed, while driving in the car, we'd stay up late or spend hours at a time on saturdays to read. haha...i swear it's not an addiction. it's just been a lot of fun! and we finished the half-blood prince about a month ago.

we even tried to make butterbeer as we watched the 4th movie a couple weeks ago. it was so sweet so i think we will try a few different recipes or come up with our own next time. but it is so much fun! i bet the new theme park will have butterbeer!! :)

so if you are not into harry potter, i have to say you are missing out on some fun stories! and if you are a fan, maybe we can visit the park together when it opens! or see the new movie coming out. you know i'll be there. and can't wait to see how the story finishes. i'm kinda nervous if you know what i mean!

where did may go?

2007-05-30T12:43:00.000-04:00

honestly...it feels like each month flies by faster than the one before it. this life is seeming shorter and shorter. soon i'll be 50 years old with a grandchild and i'll still be struggling with managing my time and waking up in the mornings. well i hope this isn't the case, but i'm just saying...life is going by really quickly! i'll celebrate my 24th birthday in october this year. i'm currently in this phase where the age 22,23, and 24 all run together and i have to think for a moment to figure out my present age when asked by someone or when i have to write it on an application. is that weird? well it makes me feel old that i can't get my age out as fast as my name.

anyway, i really have no idea what i am talking about...i am excited about the month of june though. my first neice will be born this month. we don't know her name yet and i'm getting impatient about finding out! at least we know she is a girl. it's also a big month for birthdays of some of my closest friends. new freshmen at UF will be moving here during the last week of the month which means new friends! and last but not least, adam begins his job at the florida department of transportation! this means we will be on his health insurance soon(state benefits!!!)...i'm really excited about this because it means we are a couple steps closer to having babies!!! haha.

poland is still on my heart (and adam's). we really fell in love with poznan when we were there back in march. we hope to go back someday. we miss everyone!

also, adam and i are officially members of the gainesville health & fitness center now! we signed up last thursday. it's a really really nice gym and they have so much to offer. and on some of the cardio machines, you have your own tv screen to watch whatever you want! yesterday i spent 45 minutes on the elliptical watching seinfeld!!! anyway, we are excited to get back to exercising regularly. i need to lose about 20-25 lbs!

nothing else is really new. i am trying to get up in the mornings to spend time with God before work but it hasn't been going too well. i hope it will become easier once adam begins his job (this friday). i shouldn't rely on that but i do think his work schedule will help. i have a praise though about my attitude at work! it's still a struggle every week but i have noticed a significant difference lately...it has been much more positive! having a paid holiday and a short work week probably helped! but i still want to be a stay-at-home mom soon. i can't wait!!! :-D

best city in america

2007-05-21T13:34:00.000-04:00

gainesville, fl is #1 and not just in sports! my dad received a very interesting article in the mail last week from my grandpa (his dad). i found the same article online from usa today. you can read it here. apparently, i am living in the best place in the usa according to a book by bert sperling & peter sander called cities ranked & rated 2nd edition.

i really do love gainesville, fl but i am shocked it is rated the #1 city. i mean who would think a city in florida that isn't along the coastline would be the #1 place to live in the whole usa! lol! i find it very amusing. i don't agree or disagree. i don't know what to think. obviously it all depends on the factors you use to "rate" a city. even though there isn't a beach to play at, i have an awesome church and a wonderful community of friends here. and the fact that we are all gators here makes it super fun! there are no mountains or beaches but we do have a lot of pretty trees and scenic roads.

anyway, i thought it was a very interesting article and wanted to share it with you. :) post any comments you have!

i just love it!

2007-05-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

it's been a really really busy month of may! many events to be celebrated!

so far...
5/4 - adam graduated from the university of florida!
5/11 - two of our friends, jon & pam, got married!
5/12 - adam and i have been married one year!
5/13 - mother's day!
5/16 - first homegroup of the summer!
5/17 - the season finale of the office! (which was amazing)
5/18 - shrek 3 came to theaters! (although we haven't celebrated by actually seeing it yet)
5/19 - danielle (a family friend from childhood) got married!

the only pictures that are up so far are of adam's graduation but please check in again soon to see lovely photos of the other events! (hint: see the right side of my blog where i have links to my pictures, under "picasa stuff")

even though we have been so busy, we have truly enjoyed the month of may! we have been able to spend hours of fun with both of our families, and friends including kimberly and brian (who we hadn't seen since new years) and jen (thanks for coming to the beach with us on saturday!). we also recently got to see our good friend dave who moved to texas last year.

and can't forget about the beach! we have had more time at the beach in the past two weeks than we have had in the past year! yeah i know...ridiculous! i promise we really do live in florida. but no really, it's been super nice: the sun, the water, the sand, my beautiful husband, the pina coladas, the sunsets, frenchy's rockaway grill, etc....sigh...i just love it!

anyway, i know you can just look at our calendar below but here are some upcoming events:

5/25-28 - memorial day weekend, visiting adam's parents in palm beach
6/1 - adam's first day at new job!
6/2 - wendy's baby shower in south carolina!
6/3 - our friend piotr gets married...sorry we will miss it!
6/8 - joy is scheduled for a cesarean section, our first niece of the summer to be born! (baby name unknown)
6/9 - friends allie & stew tie the knot!
6/17 - father's day!

gotta get back to work for now! will be back on later ;)

profile picture!

2007-05-06T00:45:00.000-04:00

me and alberta!!!!! gators are #1!

turkish martyrs

2007-04-27T17:20:00.000-04:00

adam and i just finished reading this article and our prayers go out to the families who lost a loved one. we pray this will be a turning point for people to come to Christ in turkey. we pray for perseverance for the church as they continue to share the gospel. and we pray for the men who felt they had to do this.

how comforting it is to know that God is in control and he can use us to bring people to him even in horrible events such as this. lives can change. look at the apostle paul. we pray for the five men who heard the gospel before they assisted in these murders. and we pray for the nation of turkey.

usually not a fan of video games but...

2007-04-25T13:44:00.000-04:00

the wii is amazing! more on this later...

calendar fun!

2007-04-24T13:34:00.000-04:00

i've added a calendar to my blog! how fun! now you can see how busy adam and i are this summer. it is not complete yet so don't freak out if you don't see your birthday on there. i'll add it soon. unless i don't have it.

i've also added a poland picture album, some friends blogs, and hopefully i'll be able to get a picture of myself on here soon. i am enjoying this google world: gmail, blogspot, picasa, hello, calendar, etc. it's very fun.

hope you enjoy it too and check in once in awhile!

attitudes and choices...

2007-04-24T09:32:00.000-04:00

this is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it: i should recite this to myself each morning (especially during the work week) but it doesn't always happen. i have a struggle with being content with the present, how true for so many people in this world. but i don't want to be like so many people in this world. i want to use the "present" for the Lord. but it's hard to do something for the Lord when you are having a bad attitude. and unfortunately, i have a bad attitude almost everyday. and it's my choice. i am choosing to have a bad attitude. i am choosing to let my job, schedule, hours, etc get to me. my attitude is a choice. i can choose to be overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated or depressed OR i can choose to be calm, faithful, content and trusting the Lord. i can choose to make the best out of it. so i am working on it. i'm working on the joy, not alone of course, but with Jesus right next to me. and He is so faithful. i pray for a Christlike attitude, to make sacrifices and to be a servant to Him and only Him. i pray to be selfless...

almost friday

2007-04-05T15:38:00.000-04:00

almost friday sounds good but not as good as almost the weekend. thursday is an ok day because it is getting closer to the weekend, but it's like a tease at the same time. today and last thursday, i woke up and it felt like a friday. and both last thursday and today have been the worst days of the week (at work). i hope next thursday is a turnaround.

tonight should be fun though. adam and i invited some friends over for dinner. friends that we love so much but hardly ever see anymore. it should be great fellowship.

i've been frustrated lately about some things, however, james encourages us to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials and to persevere through them (james 1:2-3) so that is what i am trying to do. i can be so foolish and weak and it scares me how much bitterness and hatred can be in my heart at one time. but God is amazing as always and he's right by my side. we sang "i could run away" last night in homegroup and i can't stop thinking about those lyrics

i could run away
but you would never leave
you would always stay
right by my side

everything i've ever wanted
i've found in you

and i need you, oh i need you
every step of the way

so true. i need God every step of the way. i can't do this on my own. he truly is my source of strength and brings me peace in times of trial. i think about all the times that i've wanted to run away, hide, sleep forever, or go home to jesus early. it's usually when i'm failing at something or depressed or feel lonely, but God is right there by my side, every step of the way. and i eventually get up, and i'm stronger than ever; he puts me back on my feet and directs my path.

looking at the verses again in james 1:2-4 "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ...i see that God is at work in me and my perseverance is growing. these trials are good for me even if they are hard. i just need to endure it, respond to life's messes with a Christlike attitude and i need to keep the joy.

new work activity

2007-04-04T14:42:00.000-04:00

definitions from dictionary.com:

blog - to write entries in, add material to, or maintain a weblog.
blogger - a person who keeps a Web log (blog) or publish an online diary

so i have a blog now. does that make me a blogger? i guess it does as long as i keep it and my blog remains a blog as long as it is maintained. what a life-changing step. i've added yet another thing to my workday that doesn't involve my job, however, it does involve "work". so technically, i'll be "working" at work whether i'm blogging or doing job-related things!

anyway, it's easter week and i have lots on my mind. but i have to get going to my "job" work now so i'll write more later.